By Cheryl Tan

Avon Products Inc. has been gussying up its incentives to make the job of selling beauty products door-to-door more appealing in the face of mounting financial pressure in many American households. For the past several months, in a campaign dubbed “It Pays to Be With Avon,” the company is offering potential recruits and its existing sales ranks such perks as gas money, free online-sales training and direct access to financial adviser Suze Orman. WSJ

Hennes & Mauritz reported a 2% decline in same-store sales–the Swedish fast-fashion retailer, which has 1,659 stores globally, has suffered along with other retailers as consumers have dialed back spending in this financial crisis. Reuters

Sir Philip Green, owner of Topshop, is facing competition from TPG, the U.S. private equity group, in his bid to gain control of Baugur’s U.K. assets by buying the debt of the Icelandic company. TPG has told the Icelandic government that it is interested in acquiring the £1 billion to £2 billion ($1.75 billion to $3.5 billion) of debt that Baugur owes to Iceland’s collapsed banks. Baugur’s assets include House of Fraser and Hamleys toy stores. Financial Times

Versace will stage its first fashion show in China on Nov. 13 in Beijing — the event, which will showcase the label’s Spring 2009 collections for men and women, will take place in a newly developed luxury area, the Beijing Legation Quarter, which is located next to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. The show will be a fundraising benefit for the Jet Li One Foundation, which is opening centers to treat children suffering from trauma following the May earthquake in China’s Sichuan province. Vogue UK

J. Crew opens its first Collection store at Madison Avenue and 79th Street in Manhattanl the line sells high-end merchandise than the pieces in its regular collection. WWD

Comments (1 of 1)

As an Avon Representative in NYC I can personally tell you that they are great! They give you great incentives to grow your home based business and especially in this tough economy having an income and setting your own hours is the perfect way to balance career and home.